


Departure

by EmpressVegah



Series: Love Without Borders - 365 Days of USUK [7]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: F/M, Fem!UK in serious denial, Female England, Fluff, High School, Nyotalia, Romance, USxfem!UK
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-29
Updated: 2014-10-29
Packaged: 2018-02-23 02:54:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2531462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmpressVegah/pseuds/EmpressVegah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elizabeth Kirkland hates the American exchange student, Alfred Jones. She firmly believes he is born in this world to make her life utterly miserable. But when their teacher announces that Alfred will be returning to America, Elizabeth is confronted with new-found feelings, and she has to figure them out. Fast.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Departure

**Author's Note:**

> Drabble entry for the USUK 2014 Drabble Calendar project in Tumblr (April 13th, 2014).

Alfred F. Jones was an exchange student from America—part of the international program Elizabeth’s high school participated in. The class president often wondered how on earth Alfred was a part of the program when only the exceptionally bright and intelligent students were able to participate. Jones was not even close to being intelligent. He used a crude, corrupt version of English—calling it American, the nerve! He spelt his words wrong, used atrocious grammar that grated on her delicate ears horrifically. Obviously, she denied that Alfred aced all the Life and Physical Sciences; he was the Science Department’s favorite student. All Elizabeth could see was that the American was a total git who teased her too much.

That American idiot kept on sending her winks every now and then. He volunteered to be her partner in cooking class when no one else would so he could gloat to anyone who listened to his blabbering mouth that he survived Home Economics with her as his cooking partner.  He often interrupted her during her morning announcements so he could just ask why her eyes were so green, or how soft her hair looked (making her flush red and the class now snickered knowingly whenever Alfred raised his hand while she was giving the class announcements). The git usually approached her in the middle of the hallway almost every single day just to ask if the Student Council needed any help—clearly that thoughtful concern was just a trap to sabotage her precious work.

He even nominated her as their class’s representative for the school pageant. That mere suggestion elicited a borderline violent reaction from their class, saying just how unfit Elizabeth was to be their representative for a beautypageant. She felt utterly humiliated (and a little hurt) by what transpired on that day.

She would never forgive Alfred Jones for causing her utmost grief. Not his charming grin nor his twinkling blue eyes could make her think otherwise. Even if he paid attention to her more than anyone else.

-

As she was waiting for their homeroom teacher to arrive, Elizabeth couldn’t shake off the nervous excitement bouncing inside her. She fiddled with the tips of her pigtail and then twirled a pen. She adjusted the frame of her eyeglasses. She flipped her notebook open and began unconsciously scribbling the letters “A” and “E” on a page. She almost recoiled in shock when she found herself almost completing a drawing of a heart between the letters “A” and “E”. She quickly slammed the notebook shut and heard a snicker coming from her right.

Alfred Jones was laughing at her—the bane of her existence. She huffed and stared straight ahead, intending to ignore him.

The teacher finally arrived, thank heavens. He caught the attention of the whole class with his usual greeting. He then said, “Class, I am sad to say that one of your classmates will be returning back to the United States by the end of the week.” A collective gasp was heard, and then all but one head turned to look at their only American classmate. Alfred had the decency to look a bit embarrassed.

“I… kinda forgot to tell you guys?” Elizabeth heard him say in his horrible American accent. She didn’t look at him. Instead, she stared at her lap. Hard. She didn’t want anyone to see how her eyes widened in shock upon hearing the news.  Or how her heart stopped beating for a second, only to resume pumping in a galloping pace. She felt breathless all of a sudden, like how she felt hours after drinking her first and only cup of disgusting coffee. Her hands were beginning to shake and she fisted them tight, telling her that she might just stay away from strong black tea for today.

She clearly wasn’t affected by what her teacher said.

-

Elizabeth avoided Alfred like plague. Whenever the American tried to approach her, she walked past him in hurried steps, escaping to the Student Council Office where she knew Alfred couldn’t easily enter. She buried herself in work, determined to finish up as many paper works as her body allowed. But no matter what she did, a tiny part of her knew she couldn’t avoid Alfred forever.

“Lizzie!”

She heard the distinguished accent and her legs walked faster.

“Lizzie, wait up!”

She rounded up a corner and ran up the stairs, wishing that the Student Council Office wasn’t located at the topmost floor of the building. Climbing up the last flight of stairs, she was so relieved to see the old wooden door of her office; her lungs couldn’t handle the running anymore. Fumbling with the keys, she almost made it inside the safe zone when she felt a hand wrap around her arm and spun her around.

Alfred Jones was panting. Beads of sweat collected on his forehead. His blue eyes gazed intently at her. Catching his breath, Alfred didn’t let go of her arm. Instead, he tightened his grip on her, but not enough to bruise. A gasp escaped from her lips, and he immediately let go, an apology making way to his mouth.

“Sorry for that. But you have been avoiding me for days already. Today’s my last day in school,” he said in a rush, the words tumbling out and Elizabeth almost couldn’t understand them with how loud the blood was pounding in her ears. “There’s only one thing I want to tell you, Elizabeth—” She unconsciously shivered upon hearing her full name coming from his lips. “Meet me in the airport tomorrow. My flight’s at 3:15PM. I’ll be in the departure lounge, waiting.” His blue eyes were staring at her, begging her to see him at the airport tomorrow.

“W-why would I when all you did was to make my life miserable!?” She winced at the stutter, but took a step back from Alfred, hand reaching for the door knob. “Good riddance, Jones!” She then slammed her door shut.

-

A few close friends were with Alfred at the departure lounge, wishing for his safety. Alfred grinned and laughed with them, but his eyes kept scanning the area for his favorite pigtailed girl with angry green eyes. His friends suddenly fell silent and he looked at them in confusion. Kiku, his Japanese friend, pointed at something behind him, and when he turned around, his eyes widened in genuine, ecstatic surprise upon seeing Elizabeth. She was frowning; her eyebrows meeting together at her glabella. Her golden tresses were held loosely by a pink ribbon, spilling on her shoulder, making her look very pretty. Her red glasses were framing her beautiful green eyes and Alfred was speechless as Elizabeth took a step forward. He then saw her hands twisting anxiously, and he knew that he wasn’t the only one nervous.

“Hi Lizzie,” Alfred breathed once they were only a foot away from each other.

“Hi,” Elizabeth replied back softly, looking up through her lashes. “Sorry for barely making it in time, but I… I-I wish you a safe trip, Jo—”

She didn’t manage to finish her sentence as Alfred quickly pulled her into a hug, his strong arms wrapped around her tightly. He felt her jolt, probably from shock, and before she could say anything about it, he pressed his cheek against hers to whisper to her ear, “Call me Alfred, Elizabeth.”

He felt her nod at his request, then softly she replied, “All right, Alfred.”

Alfred grinned and pulled away, ignoring the stares they were getting from their classmates. “That’s better, Liz. Before I go, I gotta tell you something important.” This was it. Elizabeth looked at him curiously, her cheeks flushed red. He thought it was a positive sign and took a deep breath.

“I like you a lot, Elizabeth. Sorry if I seem like a ‘git’ to you, but I honestly like you. You’re smart and dedicated to your work. You’re beautiful—I wasn’t kidding when I nominated you to be our representative. I like you, Elizabeth. Sorry for burdening you with this, but I just want you to know that you’re worth… loving for.”

He saw her stare at him in shock. Alfred then heard his flight being announced. Stealing one last hug, he sneakily tugged the pink ribbon tying Elizabeth’s hair, releasing the golden locks for all to see. “I’ll keep this, ‘kay?” he told her. With a heavy heart, he turned to walk towards the exit gate, pocketing the only reminder he had of Elizabeth.

“Alfred, you idiot!” Elizabeth shouted at him. He turned around to see her eyes filling with tears—oh shit, he didn’t want to see her cry—and then she continued, “I like you too, you git! You better contact me once you’ve landed safely!” And she turned around and fled.

-

Twenty-five year old Alfred Jones took out a faded pink ribbon from a crafted box. He stared at it for a moment, thoughts flashing back to when he first left England. A warm, tender smile crossed his lips. He then whispered to himself, “I’m coming home now, darlin’ Lizzie.”


End file.
